The official spokesman for the prime minister has said that the UK government will not agree to extend the Brexit transition period beyond December 31, 2020 despite the disruption brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The spokesman said in a statement on Thursday: “We will not ask to extend the transition, and if the EU asks, we will say no.
“Extending the transition would simply prolong the negotiations, prolong business uncertainty, and delay the moment of control of our borders. It would also keep us bound by EU legislation at a point when we need legislative and economic flexibility to manage the UK response to the coronavirus pandemic."
The statement comes after International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva suggested that an extension to the negotiating window should be agreed to protect the economy from “unprecedented uncertainty” and avoid making a challenging period "any tougher" out of choice, yet the UK government has swiftly poured cold water on the prospect.
The UK’s chief negotiator, David Frost, reiterated the points made in the statement on social media.
Frost tweeted: "Extending would simply prolong negotiations, create even more uncertainty, leave us liable to pay more to the EU in future, and keep us bound by evolving EU laws at a time when we need to control our own affairs.
"In short, it is not in the UK's interest to extend."
